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LEVITICAL SERVICE

JT The object in reading these scriptures is to call attention to the Levites, first viewed as a family — all being included, and then to their work. There are actually fewer engaged in the work than are counted in chapter 3. It is thought that we should profit by dwelling first on the family side in chapter 3 in which the sons of Levi are reckoned according to their birth, and then the work or service side in chapter 4 in which they are regarded according to the sovereignty of God, Kohath being the first mentioned. The subject begins in the early part of chapter 3 — “And these are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that Jehovah spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai”. The fact that Moses was Aaron’s brother is especially in mind according to what was said by Jehovah earlier when He called the attention of Moses to Aaron for the first time saying, “Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother?” Then Aaron did certain things, which indicate that he was a real brother. God said “He goeth out to meet thee; and when he seeth thee he will be glad in his heart”. That refers to the brotherly side — the family side, and ought to be remembered so that we might have a right view of the Levites. “And these are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that Jehovah spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. And these are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, who were consecrated to exercise the priesthood. And Nadab and Abihu died before Jehovah when they offered strange fire before Jehovah in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no sons; and Eleazar and Ithamar exercised the priesthood in the presence of Aaron their father”. Two ^[p. 11] sons of Aaron died because they offered strange fire. That is another matter to be before us in considering the subject of the Levites. So the subject proceeds down to verse 14 which says, “And Jehovah spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai saying, Number the sons of Levi according to their fathers’ houses, after their families; every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them. And Moses numbered them according to the commandment of Jehovah”. It would be well to refer to these earlier verses so that we may have before us the idea of the brother among the Levites; then the priest, that is Aaron. What happened to him? What happened to his sons? That is more the family side; the Levites are taken account of from that side in chapter 3 where they are regarded according to their birth. Then in chapter 4 we have the sovereignty of God, Kohath being mentioned first, and the verses from 1 down to the end of 20 are devoted to his services, the remaining verses read to the end of 33 being devoted to the other two sons of Levi. There are distinctions and variations which are important. It is hoped that the Lord will help us to look at the subject bearing these types in mind.

Rem Is the brotherly side stressed in the assembly gospel? Matthew tells us that the Lord chose two pairs of brothers. Is that what is in your mind? He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, and going on thence he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother. Is the emphasis on the brotherly feature?

JT I think it is. Then to see that these four brothers had a leading place among the twelve. First Peter, then Peter and John, and then the other two in a lesser way, so that we are constantly reminded of variations in the service of God, all this calling attention to care for each other and to help us to bear ^[p. 12] in mind the distinctions God may put upon us, even though these may be slight. We have to make up our minds not to be democratic which is the spirit of the age, it being said (especially in the western hemisphere) that God created all men alike. That is not so. The remark is intended to bring out the equality of man. ‘He created all men equally’ — is a well known saying, but it is not true. Men are not created alike or equal. Distinctions are seen in the assembly too and the further down the line we come the more we shall see what variations there are and what distinctions, what nobility and so forth. God reserves these rights among His people.

Ques Are you speaking of the family side first in order to emphasise the sovereignty of God with us? There were 22,000 Levites.

JT That is right. That is chapter 3 where we have the number stated, viz. 22,000, whereas in the actual work there were about eight thousand. Then the idea of sovereignty in Kohath the priest. We will do well to reserve a little time to speak of the special work of Kohath, and the danger that attended it. In ministry dealing with Divine Persons or divine things, the point arises of the danger of the natural mind working, and so the passage that we have read calls attention to the provision for the preservation of the Kohathites. Verse 18 says “Ye shall not cut off the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites, but this shall ye do unto them, that they might live, and not die, when they draw near unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden; but they shall not go in and see for a moment the holy things, lest they die”. I speak of this because of the tendency with us to say wrong things when the greatest care should be exercised, especially anything that relates to Divine Persons Themselves. The ^[p. 13] greatest care should be exercised that we do not make mistakes and say wrong things lest we be cut off, for it is most serious.

Rem You were speaking of the democratic spirit and the place given to it, and that all were not alike; would be that seen in Mark’s gospel where the Lord surnames Peter, James and John?

JT Quite so. The idea that all men are created equal is not the truth. We have another case in Acts 4 — Barnabas was surnamed Son of consolation. We might say these men were distinguished above others.

JW The Lord says of Paul, “This man is an elect vessel to me”, (Acts 9: 15).

JT That is a distinction. I do not think there is another designated in that way — “For this man is an elect vessel to me to bear my name before both nations and kings and the sons of Israel”, (Acts 9: 15) as if he were to be fitted for it.

PJ You said, in referring to Aaron, that he was a real brother. What had you in mind?

JT Well, just what I quoted, what Jehovah said to Moses, “Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? …And also behold he goeth out to meet thee; and when he seeth thee he will be glad in his heart”. (Exodus 4: 14) What an advantage to have a brother like that! What God said of Aaron was not said even of Moses himself.

Ques Do we get the two sides you have been drawing attention to in 2 Corinthians? In chapter 2 verse 13 it says “I had no rest in my spirit at not finding Titus my brother”. That is the brotherly side. And then later in chapter 12 verse 11, “I have been nothing behind those who were in surpassing degree apostles”. Is the sovereign side seen in that?

JT Quite so. Then the two brothers who laboured with Paul at Corinth is another point. They preached the Son of God, as it says, “The Son of God, Jesus Christ, he who has been preached by us among ^[p. 14] you, by me and Silvanus and Timotheus”. They were suited vessels for that purpose.

Rem In regard to the bounty of the saints, Titus who has already been mentioned comes in, in that connection in 2 Corinthians 8; then we have “the brother whose praise is in the glad tidings through all the assemblies”, and later on in the chapter, “our brother whom we have often proved to be of diligent zeal in many things”. Does that all shew that the brotherly element should not interfere with the distinctiveness required in the service?

JT Quite so. These distinctions are convenient to use in the service and in the epistles where the brethren are saluted we have a convenient means of expressing our affection and respect in these titles. Saints are called upon to be obedient because there is a great tendency to disregard all these things in the ministry and service and I think, too, a tendency to disregard what brethren who are in the service are entitled to, not that they claim it of course. If they did they would disqualify themselves but it is how the saints should regard those in the ministry, seen especially in the salutations of Paul; others too, but particularly of Paul.

Jno. G. Would you say that if ministering servants are marked by the features of the brother it would greatly help the saints in paying them respect?

JT Well, that is true, but that is the other side of the matter. There is one thing perhaps resident in one, there is something else to balance that in another. We do not want to reduce things. We want to make the most of what is divinely given, and which carries with it divine authority.

AB In that connection Ananias in Acts 9 was very quick to recognise the brotherly features in Paul although they had not been manifested previously.

He could say, “Saul, brother”, it is not mentioned previously.

JT Yes. There is not much said about Ananias but evidently he knew how to use the word brother; “Saul, brother”. I think it is good to use whatever adornment there is. The authorities afford us this light. We learn from them, we learn from nature too, and we learn from ordinary men. It is good to observe that and to make use of what God affords us for our instruction so that the democratic idea is not allowed to govern us; the idea of distinction runs almost from the start in humanity.

WHT Does not the beloved apostle distinguish Timothy in that way as being like-minded and caring with genuine feeling how the saints get on?

JT Just so. There was no one else like him and that was a distinction — “For I have no one like minded who will care with genuine feeling how ye get on”. (Philippians 2:20) It is helpful to note these allusions to Moses and Aaron and to their generations — “These are the generations of Aaron and Moses”. God brought these two men forward and the sister is brought forward later. He has a right to do that. Miriam has distinction but not such distinction as Moses and Aaron. The family side is seen in these twenty-two thousand numbered from a month old and upward. We are to recognise what is likeable in the brethren. It is rare to get any two alike in the human race, and when we come to the divine family we should look for these distinctions and what is likeable, so we take David, whose name means beloved. He was a likeable young man, being described as “ruddy, and besides of a lovely countenance and beautiful appearance”. (1 Samuel 16: 12) He is the Lord’s anointed and surely in all this we are to be reminded of the Lord Jesus. Then, too, John; the Lord loved him, as it says “The disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 21: 20).

Ques Would that feature be specially seen in ^[p. 16] David being loved by all Israel and Judah as going out and coming in before them?

JT That is the thought. He was signalised too in the song of the women after the slaughter of Goliath but he was loved by all Israel and Judah.

JM Is it the divine thought that every Levite is to be a loveable person?

JT Well, I would say so. At the time when the disciples were making much of their exploits the Lord brings in the balancing truth that their names are written in heaven, which would involve distinction. That is a point to notice, not to make too much mention of our exploits or our work, not too make too much of things that happen incidentally which in themselves mean nothing. So that at a critical time when things were turning against Him the disciples came to Him and said that the demons were subject to them, through His name, but the Lord says, “Yet in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subjected to you, but rejoice that your names are written in the heavens”. (Luke 10: 20) That is, there is something to distinguish each one for the name given would mean distinction. They are all firstborn ones as it says “the assembly of the firstborn who are registered in heaven”, (Hebrews 12: 23). So here the Levites are taken to represent the firstborn in Israel.

GFG In verse 27 there are four families mentioned in connection with the Kohathites, but there are only two in each of the other two cases. Have you something in mind as to that? “And of Kohath, the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites; these are the families of the Kohathites”.

JT It is very much worth mentioning that as there must be something in the fact that there are more in the case of Kohath. We have called attention ^[p. 17] already to the verses covering the Kohathites in chapter 4. How much more there was with Kohath as compared with the other two.

GFG Is it a question then of spirituality that brings out these family features?

JT Well, it would seem so. Four is a universal number. There were four priests, sons of Aaron, but two of them died. That was a terrible loss — a terrible calamity — but what is in mind particularly is that we should regard the saints from the brotherly standpoint, that is as the family of God. In service we are apt to be tested by one another more than in the family. The gift that one has may tend to rivalry and I believe the thought is that the brotherly spirit should stand. If a brother who is serving in a special way comes under discipline I think the brotherly spirit should stand, because there is a danger in such circumstances that we may give way to rivalry.

SR When you said it should stand, do you mean that it should prevail?

JT Well, it should stand anyway. It should not be weakened.

Rem The brotherly link that existed between Peter and Paul was seen in the 15th of Acts when Paul went to up Jerusalem. It stood the strain when a difficult matter arose later on as to ministry.

JT Peter showed how superior he was and he says, “Our beloved brother Paul”. It would look as if he intended to stress the brotherly feature because brethren might have thought that Paul’s rebuke of Peter would be unseemly, Peter being an older man, certainly older in the service.

SB Is the spirit of what you say seen in 1 Timothy 5: 1, particularly in regard to discipline. “Rebuke not an elder sharply, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brethren, elder women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity”.

JT I am glad you mention that. The servant who ministers well is deserving of special consideration. The whole history should be taken into account if we have to deal with any of our brethren who are in service.

Ques Do you mean that we should not fasten our minds on one particular thing and press it beyond a man’s general course?

JT That is right. We must begin with heaven really in these matters and heaven has a perfect standard, hence we have the word “measure” taken up by Paul. Heaven had its estimate of Paul at the outset. “He is an elect vessel”. — not that he was going to be that but he was that.

Rem Does the viewing of the Levites from one month old and upwards help us to look at the saints in relation to the potentialities that are there, whereas in the case of the number actually in the work it is a question more of the qualities coming out specifically and room would be made for the distinction they carry?

JT Quite. I have thought in relation to Timothy, the mother and grandmother being mentioned would mean that they have accorded distinction to Timothy, for their names are given. His father was a Greek, which added no distinction to Timothy, but the mother and grandmother do. It says of Timothy “From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures”. (2 Timothy 3: 15) What we have to look for in brethren is, do they know how to use scripture in ministry and support everything they say by it. Timothy was well versed in the scriptures.

Rem Would that bear on the difference between the service of the Kohathites and the others. The Kohathites seem to deal more with what belonged to Divine Persons Themselves, the vessels of the Sanctuary, whereas the others seem to be ^[p. 19] more in connection with divine principles and the persons of the saints.

JT These features are not there for nothing. They are there for our notice and intended to help us in our day to make full use of scripture. Give full place to it, make it adorn what we say in the emphasis we give it so that we are not saying things just because they come to our minds but because they are authorised by scripture.

Ques Do you think we are clearer as to divine principles than we are as to the truth in relation to Divine Persons?

JT Well, I am sure that is true. That is why I think Kohath is put first. So much is said about him, as if the servant should be clear as to the truth of Divine Persons and all that relates to Them. I think what Kohath means is that things that relate to Divine Persons ought to be well understood before we minister — to have the truth of Divine Persons clearly in mind and especially what goes with Them, the sacred things.

SG Do you think that as stressing the scriptures in these last days we would be preserved as over against the character of governments that might come in?

JT Well, I think so and therefore we ought to search the scriptures daily whether these things are so.

Ques You spoke about certain using scripture more freely. What had you exactly in mind? Do you mean taking liberties with it?

JT Yes. One has seen it and heard it in ministry, and in open air preachings. There is nothing has more weight than the scripture quoted rightly and intelligently.

FI Is the apostle in line with that when he speaks of “… my glad tidings and the preaching of ^[p. 20] Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery …” (Romans 16: 25).

JT I suppose that would mean that the mystery was in mind in relation to the glad tidings and its effect upon souls. In preaching the idea of the assembly should be there and therefore independency would disappear. There is so much independency — persons said to be converted and in the preaching not a word said about the assembly. Paul’s doctrine includes the ministry of the assembly. Paul would be concerned that the gospel should carry with it at least the principle of the assembly.

Ques Were you going to draw any special attention to this service of the Kohathites?

JT Well it has already been alluded to in the sense that so much more has been said about him than about the other two Levites and so much brought in as to priesthood in the service of the Kohathites; hence it is said in verse 16, “And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall have the oversight of the oil for the light, and the fragrant incense, and the continual oblation, and the anointing oil — the oversight of the whole tabernacle, and of all that is therein, over the sanctuary, and over its furniture”. That is brought in, in the midst of the instruction about Kohath and you can see that the priesthood is stressed right through it. The priests were to go in and take down the holy things and that preserves us from rashness for the priestly element ought to be with the preacher. The priestly element is that which helps us to be balanced in saying things.

Ques Are you connecting that in your mind with what you said about being established in the truth concerning Divine Persons?

JT Well, I would say that. You will notice in that connection in verse 15 it is said, “And when Aaron and his sons have ended covering the sanctuary,

^[p. 21] and all the utensils of the sanctuary, when the camp setteth forward, then afterwards the sons of Kohath shall come to carry it, but they shall not touch the holy things, lest they die”. So that the minister ought to distinguish between his ordinary feelings as minister and his priestly feelings, and the priestly feelings should govern all he states. Whatever he may say he must ever think of what is priestly and think twice before he says things about Divine Persons.

Ques Is the reference to Eleazar a reminder that we should cultivate closeness to Christ as the One who has personal oversight? Would that be the reference here?

JT I think so. I think the Eleazar is the prince of the princes of the Levites and whilst Ithamar is also a priest he is not spoken of in the same way. Eleazar, I think, would be the minister as he keeps himself in close touch with the Lord. He lives there.

Rem So that if a matter comes up in relation to the truth of the Father or of the Son or of the Spirit it is not only a question of understanding and bowing to the authority of the scripture but of being under the control of Christ.

JT I would say that — that you are really under his influence. I think that is what Eleazar means. Eleazar is near to Aaron and immediately Aaron dies he is the high priest.

SB A priest must be a man of understanding, and his lips keep knowledge.

J.T. His lips!

AED Would this thought as to the Levites being safeguarded be seen in Paul in Romans? “For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the glad tidings”, (Romans 1: 9).

JT Very good — serving God in his spirit. These things are most enlightening and corrective that our ^[p. 22] spirits should be right. Mary, the mothers of the Lord, seems as if she was fitted for a great service. She said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour” (Luke 1: 46). She distinguishes between her soul and her spirit.

JM Do the doxologies we have in the epistles indicate something of this priestly feature with the writers?

JT Just so. I think they are put down for that purpose to enrich the scriptures, beautify them. If you love the Lord they furnish rich means of holy prayer or meditation or worship even. You may use them in worship.

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